On the 23rd of March 2024, the Laying up of the 6th Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment Regimental Colour, took place at St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmunds.
The Officiating Officer was Lieutenant Colonel David Haggar, Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment.
The Colour Party was formed by:
- 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Coulter
- Warrant Officer Class Two Phill Wright
- Colour Sergeant Stephen Jones
- Colour Sergeant Ashley Ward
The Clergy included the Reverand Canon Adrian Holdstock. St Mary’s Church and the Reverand Paul Whitehead, Chaplain to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment.
The event was supported by The Band of the Royal Anglian Regiment.
History of the 6th Battalion
On the 1st of April 1971 the 6th (Volunteer) Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment formed from a reorganisation of the Territorial Army and was the second part-time unit to be formed in the Regiment. Initially, it was organised with Battalion HQ and HQ Company based in Bury St Edmunds, A (Royal Norfolk) Company in Dereham with a platoon in Braintree and D (Cambridgeshire) Company based in Cambridge and Wisbech.
Colours were originally presented to the former 6th Battalion by HRH Princess Margaret at Bury St Edmunds on the 24th of June 1979. By 1992 the Battalion had reorganised again as a result of Options for Change, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the consequent peace dividend, with bury remaining the location for Battalion HQ, Chelmsford and Braintree for C Company and Cambridge and Wisbech for D Company.
In 1999, the Battalion was reorganised and formed part of the new East of England Regiment following the reduction of infantry required by the 1998 Strategic Defence Review. In 2006 it again reorganised and the creation of the 3rd Battalion (Reserve) as we know it today.
The original colours of the 6th (Volunteer) Battalion were carried by both the East of England Regiment and the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion until the new Colours were presented to all three Royal Anglian Battalions by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, at Duxford on the 31st of August 2014.
The original Queen’s Colours of the 6th (Volunteer) Battalion was laid up at the Regimental Chapel in Ely on the 2nd of June 2018. The 6th Battalion made an important contribution to the defence of this country with typical Royal Anglian no-nonsense fortitude and energy, despite many reorganisation, disbandment and re-rolling efforts of the force over the years.
Highlights video
